Like many parents of children on the autism spectrum, Marianne Taylor is concerned about what her son, who is 19, will do when he graduates from high school.

So Taylor, a Raynham resident and dean of grant development at Bristol Community College, decided to do something about it.

She assembled a Transition Planning Group at BCC — made up of educators, parents, staff from the Office of Disability Services, students and others — to create a pilot program this summer called Spectrum Summer Bridge to College. Designed for about 15 students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the program is intended to help participants “achieve a post-secondary goal,” whether it be attaining a degree, taking a college level course or even choosing a career path.

“It’s so paradoxical (when your child is in school). They want you to learn and they want you to graduate, but when you do, there’s no support. It’s like you fall off a cliff; once you graduate, there’s nothing, “ said Taylor.

When Taylor’s son began taking a class at another nearby college this year, the proper accommodations weren’t being made to help him succeed. For instance, he has poor handwriting, but one of his professors will not allow him to use a computer in class. Additionally, her son has a difficult time dealing with large crowds, so when he had to do some testing before his course began, he did poorly because so many people were around. When he was retested in a smaller group environment, he did fine.

“We are bringing this group together to examine these considerations,” says Joanne Carroll-Connor, a registrar at BCC and member of the Transition Planning Group. “We’re listening to parents, talking to educators. We’re anticipating what the needs will be. To be able to address the needs of this part of our community is really important.”

Since 2009, BCC has seen a 54 percent increase in the number of students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. This falls in line with national statistics that say 1 in 88 people have some form of autism.

“A community college should reflect your community. Our overall mission is the create an environment where everyone is respected,” said Carroll-Connor. “We’ve got to be proactive with this.”

The Bridge program will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will take two one-credit courses and a non-credit “Extreme Art” course. The first will be a critical reading course in basic study skills. “Our experience with Bridge programs shows that they need these skills — it will help them with study habits and organization,” explained Taylor.

The other one-credit course will be in career exploration — a guided experience for students, looking at different options available to them.

There will be current BCC students available to help tutor them, or just to hang out with and help navigate the everyday aspects of life on a college campus, like going to the fitness room or even grabbing lunch. Students in the program will also have access to a “home base” of sorts, where they can use computers, chill out if they become overwhelmed, and access support team members who can answer their questions.

Page 2 of 2 - Summer is a good time to pilot a program like this, Carroll-Connor explained. “The campus atmosphere is more relaxed. We can devote more time to it, and it’s easier to tweak (where necessary). It’s easier to harness the people we need to help.”

Among the accommodations that will be available to students are note takers, computers, special seating accommodations and more.

“We’ve included some professional development,” said Taylor. “We want staff to be completely equipped to support these students.”

“The doors are open here to take advantage of resources,” said Carroll-Connor, who happens to have a family member with ASD who is well on her way to completing her associate’s degree at BCC. “We will work in any way they need to help that student succeed. No one hits a brick wall here.”

Taylor would love to see this program grow into something that is offered yearround. Until then, she is excited to see how this summer pans out.

“These kids are survivors. Their courage is amazing. They deserve to be supported in this next phase of life,” she said.

Lynne Sullivan is editor in chief of The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette. She is also mother of a 10-year-old son with autism. She can be reached at 508-676-2534 or lsullivan@heraldnews.com.